My Life As An Si In King Viserys Court

Steffon I

"Have you been having fun, Rhaenyra?" Aemma Arryn entered the room with all the grace expected from a noble lady and Ser Steffon along with Ser Harrold gave her a shallow bow.

"Yes mother, Baelon made a fantastic Visenya. Though our Rhaenys left something to be desired," Rhaenyra, as with much that she said, replied haughtily.

"Oh?" Aemma turned her gaze to Baelon with an amused smile, "Did my Rhaenyra force you into being a woman?"

"I'd rather be Visenya than many of the men alive at the time, my lady," Baelon had a polite smile on his face as he often did while speaking, "Speaking of Visenya is there any news on whether Vhagar has left the capital?" Baelon the Brave had died the night before, and he had kept his dragon Vhagar in the Red Keep alongside Jaehaerys own Vermithor ever since he had been named Hand of the King. 

Now that Vhagar was riderless, doing so seemed a foolish idea. The Good Queen Alysanne's dragon Silverwing had also resided in the Keep though it returned to Dragonstone along with the queen years before she died. Now the largest dragon in the world was loose in the capital and there was nothing anyone could do about it. All anyone could hope was that Vhagar would fly back to the volcano at Dragonstone, the place she had been hatched.

"Last I heard Vhagar still resided in the Godswood," Sighed Aemma, "Hopefully she will be gone before she can destroy the Red Keep and all of King's Landing."

Ser Steffon thought that the Targaryens were entirely too calm about the fact a dragon was loose in the capital but it was not his place to question the royal family.

"I wonder if I might visit her," Baelon was looking in the direction of the Godswood and seemed to have no clue just what a startle his words gave the adults in the room, "I imagine she is terribly lonely. Perhaps the company of the son of her rider would do her well."

Ser Steffon could feel his face soften from the boy's innocent words. The prince seemed so much older than he was at times that it was easy to forget he was just a child and didn't fully understand why going near a wild ferocious beast was a bad idea.

"A noble idea, my prince," The Lady Aemma spoke up with a soft smile on his face, "But Vhagar is grieving, she is just as likely to lash out at you as to take your comforts well," Ser Steffon believed that Vhagar was just as likely to eat the boy because she was a wild beast but Aemma's take on things certainly helped to spare his young charge's feelings.

"Vhagar wouldn't hurt Baelon," Protested Rhaenyra, "He is a Targaryen! No dragon would harm him!" For once Alyssa and Rhaenyra seemed united on an issue as the former nodded her agreement.

Aemma fought to find a reply for a moment before answering, "You will need the permission of your mother and father in any case and it isn't likely for them to agree. Now children, you must be getting ready for the funeral."

"Yes mother," Replied Rhaenyra before turning to Baelon and pulling him into a hug, "I will see you soon Bael," Alyssa made a face as though the nickname was sour.

"See you soon Rhaenyra," The prince grabbed his sister's hand and with a slight bow to his cousin the two were on the way to their room.

"Do you really mean to visit Vhagar brother?" Alyssa asked after a moment.

Baelon looked back towards where Ser Steffon was before turning again towards his sister and spoke to her in slow simple Valyrian.

Some rich lords could afford a tutor from the Free Cities to come and teach their children the language and some houses were lucky enough to receive a Maester who spoke it but this was far from common.

It was of course easier for the Targaryens to learn the language seeing as they had family members who could speak it to them. It was said princess Rhaenyra's first sentences were a mix of Common and High Valyrian.